The Thin Veil
by sidhefaerie
Summary: Victorian AU. Specters from Merlin's past loves come to visit
1. Chapter 1

**The Thin Veil (Part 1)**

Merlin stood looking out the window at the gray and rainy day. The weather was changing and he knew that meant Samhain was only days away.

Samhain was the time when the veil to the underworld was the thinnest. Spirits can be called to commune with the living or haunt their enemies.

Merlyn wasn't worried about his enemies but he was still worried. Merlin was worried for those of the house of pendragon, one of the oldest families in all of wales. The house of pendragon had many enemies. Morgana, Merlin's wife was part of that family. He dreaded the night that was coming only because it would give her distress.

"Merlin! Are you listening to me?" Arthur called out impatiently from his desk in the library.

"I was just thinking." Merlin turned from the window. "What did you say?"

"I need you to go to London and take these documents to the solicitor." Arthur scowled. "What has you in such a state? Did Morgana make you sleep on the floor or something?"

"No." Merlin laughed and walked over to the hearth. "Has Gwen made you sleep in the barn recently?"

"That was once and I apologized." Arthur frowned and leaned back. "I still don't know what I apologized for but she accepted it." Arthur shook his head. "What is distressing you so?"

"I don't know. I think I'm just feeling down because of the rain. It must be the season." Merlin rubbed his hands together at the fire.

"Christmas is just around the corner. You should be happy or is it your lack of gift ideas for your new bride." Arthur chuckled. "You better come up with something good or you'll be spending a lot of nights on the floor."

Merlin just nodded and looked back at the window. He would let Arthur think whatever he likes but Merlin could feel something coming. As much as he wished he could shake the feeling, he just couldn't.

Gwen and Morgana walked into the room. The hems of their dresses were wet from the rain. Merlin moved aside to let them warm themselves at the fire.

Arthur stood up and went over to Gwen. He put his arms around her and kissed her on the cheek. "How was the luncheon?"

Gwen gave him a glare. "Ask Morgana."

Morgana smiled. "I just asked Lady Welsh when she was due. How was I supposed to know she wasn't with child?"

"Sir Leon would have told Arthur." Gwen glared at her sister in law. "You know how they love to brag about that kind of thing. She was just wearing a dress in the current fashion."

"I think I'll skip that particular fashion. It will make me look like I'm with child." Morgana looked at Merlin. "Sweetheart, are you feeling well?"

"Don't mind him. He has the blues because of the rain." Arthur grinned at Merlin.

Morgana reached up and stroked Merlin's cheek. "You just need a cup of tea and your feet up for a few minutes. Come up to our rooms and I will have tea sent up."

"I think I will." Merlin kissed her palm. "Arthur, I will leave for London in the morning."

"London?" Morgana asked.

"He won't be gone long, Morgana. Just a day." Arthur told his sister. "He is taking papers to the solicitor. Go get some rest, Merlin. You can take the early train in the morning."

"Thank you Arthur." Merlin put his arm around Morgana and walked her out of the room. As they started up the stairs to their room, Merlin stopped to face her. "There's something off in the air. Do you feel it too?"

"Yes, you know I do but there is nothing we can do but wait for Samhain night. That's when we will find out what it is and not a second before." Morgana took his hand and lead him up the stairs. "I think I will go to London with you tomorrow."

"I like that idea." Merlin gave her hand a squeeze as they walked to their rooms.

"Arthur, you know how sensitive Merlin is. You shouldn't tease him so much." Gwen patted Arthur on the chest.

"I can't help myself." Arthur admitted.

"I will see you at supper I need to change out of these wet things and get warm." Gwen pulled away. "Go back to work."

Arthur nodded. "See you in a bit." Arthur gave her a quick peck on the cheek before she left him alone in the library.

Arthur looked up at the painting of Uther above the mantle. "You were wrong, you know. She has made me very happy. I guess you weren't always right, were you Father?"

A chill breeze swept through the room and some of the candles went out.

Arthur shivered and stoked the fire. "Damn drafty old house."


	2. Chapter 2

**The Thin Veil (Part 2)**

Arthur relit the candles and sat down at his desk. He looked up at the painting of his father. "You don't intimidate me, Father. I'm the Duke. I have the power now. You are nothing but a rotting pile of bones. You can't hurt me or mine anymore."

Arthur finished his work and retired to the room he shared with Gwen. He never saw the shadow that followed him to his room.

The hour was near midnight and the house was silent when Morgana reached over and found Merlin's side of the bed was empty. She sat up and looked around.

"Merlin? Where are you?" Morgana couldn't see anything in the dark room.

"I'm here." Merlin said from the window. "Go back to sleep, Love."

"I can't. I'm dreaming again. Horrible things." Morgana's eyes finally made out his outline. She could tell by the way Merlin was standing that he was troubled. "There is something bothering you and I want to know what it is. The truth please!"

"It's just…I felt a presence earlier." Merlin shrugged it off and came back to sit on the bed. "I'm sure that I'm just imagining it."

"No. You aren't imagining it. There is something here. It was causing my dreams." Morgana grabbed Merlin's hand. "What are we going to do?"

"We have to use our magick." Merlin picked up her hand and kissed it. "Whatever this is, we have to be the ones to stop it."

"Merlin, we promised Arthur we wouldn't practice the arts again." Morgana reminded him.

"We may not have a choice." Merlin leaned towards Morgana to kiss her.

Suddenly there was a scream down the hall.

"That was Gwen." Morgana threw the covers off and got out of bed.

"Wait!" Merlin made it to the door before she did. "We have to be cautious."

"Gwen just screamed. Cautious has just flown out the window." Morgan pulled on the doorknob. "Let me out!"

Merlin opened the door and pulled her behind him. "Stay behind me. I didn't want you to be hurt."

"Merlin, I have magick the same as you. We need to do it together." Morgana held onto his hand as they made their way down the dark hallway.

Merlin reached the door of Arthur and Gwen's room and pushed it open. He froze in his steps. He wasn't prepared for what he saw next.

Arthur was pinned above the fireplace by what looked like a ghostly image of a knight. Arthur was struggling against the hand at his throat and having trouble breathing.

"Please let me go.' Arthur struggled to speak. "I haven't done anything to you. I don't even know who you are. Why are you doing this to me?"

The hand of the specter tightened around Arthur's throat until Arthur lost consciousness. It released him and turned as if looking for another target.

Merlin stepped forward and stopped Gwen from rushing to Arthur's side. He pushed her back towards Morgana. "No Gwen! Don't move! It wants you to go to Arthur so it can get you too."

"Who is that and why does he want to kill Arthur?" Gwen cried as she clung to Morgana. "Merlin, please, do something. Arthur may be gravely injured."

"Merlin, just do it before it attacks us all." Morgana said angrily.

Merlin held out his hand and whispered a spell. Nothing happened. He felt the anger rise in his chest.

The ghost laughed. "I don't think your magick will work on me, Sorcerer. I am not of this world. I was sent to deliver justice."

"Justice for whom?" Merlin demanded of the specter. "Arthur has harmed no one. Why do you want to harm him?"

The specter laughed. The sound echoed around the room. "Arthur has had many lifetimes. You know that…Emrys! You know who he is and why he must be punished. My master demands it."

"We are no longer those people. Death wipes the slate clean. We start fresh with each new life." Merlin was trying to stall as he went through spells in his head that may send the specter back through the veil once again.

"Then why do you still have your magick?" A voice from a dark corner asked. "I doubt it is as strong as it was when we first met."

"Who is there?" Merlin shouted toward the voice.

"Now, now, Merlin." The voice taunted. "I want my revenge on Arthur first then I will take my revenge out on you!

Morgana raised her hand to cast a spell and was sent crashing back into the wall behind her. Gwen ran to Morgana and sat on the floor holding Morgana's head in her lap.

"Gwen, is Morgana still alive?" Merlin asked without looking back.

"Yes. She is just unconscious." Gwen started to cry. "Why are you doing this to us? We don't even know who you are."

"Merlin knows me." The woman laughed. "Tell her, Merlin. Tell her who I am."

"Merlin! Who is that woman? Why is she trying to kill us?" Gwen sobbed.

The woman laughed and walked into a beam of moonlight. The light fell on her face and revealed who she was. "Remember me now, Merlin?"

"Yes I do." Merlin held out his hand toward the specter again and shouted a spell. The specter disintegrated. Merlin held out his hand toward the woman. "I do remember you."


	3. Chapter 3

**The Thin Veil (Part 3)**

The woman raised her hand towards Arthur who was limp on the floor. "You don't want to do that, Merlin. I will kill him before your weak magick has the chance to scorch my pretty dress."

"I doubt you have the power you once did, Nimueh." Merlin lowered his hand. He was calling her bluff. It was a dangerous move but he needed to see her true reason for being there. "You are but a specter and I am not."

"Are you so sure about that?" Nimueh turned to Arthur and raised him off the floor and pinned him to the wall again. "It will be a pleasure to finally kill Uther Pendragon's son. It's such a pity that your father isn't here to see me get my revenge."

"No! Stop!" Gwen stood up and took a step forward. She glanced at Merlin then turned to Nimueh. "Please don't hurt him. He is my heart, my husband. Uther is dead and gone. Go back to where you came from and seek your revenge on him there."

"Only the dead can go through the veil and I am very much alive." Nimueh sneered. "Would you like to join your loving husband when I am done with him, Guinevere? Or would you like to join his rival, Lancelot?"

"Enough of this! Let Arthur go!" Merlin raised his hand again and sent a flaming ball of magick towards Nimueh.

Nimueh dropped her hold on Arthur just in time to dissipate the fire ball. She looked at Merlin with a look of surprise and grinned.

"You are not as weak as I thought but you still won't kill me." Nimueh laughed and raised Arthur off the floor again. "Not in this lifetime. The fire has all but gone out in your eyes. You have been domesticated by the woman whose life you took."

Morgana came to behind Gwen and Merlin and sat up. She saw the woman in the beam of moonlight and felt the anger rise in her chest. Quietly, she got to her feet and moved into the shadows. She leaned against the heavy cupboard in the corner and felt her fingers tingle as her anger increased.

"No! I'm not weak, not in this lifetime, not in any lifetime." Merlin raised both hands before sending two fireballs toward Nimueh.

In the shadows, Morgana sent a fireball of her own. She knew at least one of them would get through Nimueh's defenses.

Morgana was right. Nimueh couldn't dissipate all three fire balls and was caught full on by Merlin's second volley and Morgana's one. She screamed and fell back releasing Arthur who fell to the floor with a thud.

Merlin looked behind him to see where the other fire ball had come from. He smiled when he saw Morgana leaning against a cupboard. "Are you alright, Love?"

"My head is throbbing. Is she dead for good this time?" Morgana sunk to the floor. "Finish her off if she isn't, will you?

Merlin nodded. He walked over to Nimueh's body and knew instantly that she was dead. She was nothing but a smoldering heap of burnt flesh.

Gwen had run to Arthur and was cradling his head in her arms. "Merlin, he's barely breathing. Help him, please."

Merlin went over and lifted Arthur off the floor and put him in the bed. "Arthur! Can you hear me?"

Arthur mumbled something but his eyes were still closed.

Merlin held his hand to Arthur's chest and whispered a spell.

Arthur's eyes flew open and he gasped for air. "What happened? There was something in this room. I must have blacked out." He reached out for Gwen. "I'm alright Guinevere. Don't cry."

Gwen took Arthur's outstretched hand. "I thought I was going to lose you."

Arthur smiled at her. "Never."

Merlin walked away from the bed to where Nimueh's body lay on the floor. Morgana stood up and went to his side.

"How did she remember through so many lifetimes?" Morgana asked as merlin wrapped his arm around her.

"Hate is a strong memory enhancer." Merlin looked out the window at the full moon. "This night isn't over and the veil is growing thinner by the second. I can feel it."

Morgana moved closer to him. "You think she will come at us again tonight?"

"Not her but there are others that may come calling." Merlin waved his hand and lit the candles in the room. "We should stay close."

Morgana looked up at Merlin's face and knew that he was worried. She took his hand and started to lead him back to a settee along the wall. She was just about to say something when a cold wind blew out all the candles.

"Merlin?" Morgana called out. "MERLIN!"


	4. Chapter 4

**The Thin Veil (Part 4)**

Merlin looked up just as the ghostly form came at him. It hit him with full force and knocked him on his back.

"Morgana, light the candles!" Merlin choked out before losing consciousness.

Morgana held her hands out to her sides and screamed. All the candles flared up then calmed down. She looked around to make sure she hadn't started a fire before she went to Merlin.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Arthur asked as he struggled to sit up in the bed.

"It's a lost soul. It's called a doracha, I think." Morgana knelt beside Merlin. She gently patted his cheek to bring him around. "Wake up Merlin. I think there's trouble and i need you to wake up."

Merlin's eyes flickered. He was ice cold and shivering. "Morgana …?"

"I'm right here. You're freezing." Morgana caressed his cold cheek. She pulled a throw from the settee and put it over him.

"Nimueh must have torn the veil when she summoned that specter." Merlin struggled to sit up but Morgana pushed him back down. "We have to close it or there will be chaos. People are going to die."

"We will do it together but you need to rest a moment." Morgana said.

Merlin threw the blanket off of him. "We don't have a moment. We need to close it now."

"What do you need?" Arthur asked as he struggled to his feet..

"A sacrifice." Morgana said. She took a deep breath. She knew exactly who that sacrifice should be.

"Morgana, don't even think about it." Merlin pulled himself up and leaned against the settee. "I can't let you give up your life. It should be me."

"It's mine to give. I opened the veil once and wreaked chaos on the world. I need to pay for that mistake." Morgana waved her hand over Merlin's face and he passed out. "I'm sorry Merlin but I have to do this." She turned to Arthur and Gwen. "Don't let him follow me."

Morgana stood in the middle of the room and turned into swirling air. She was gone before anyone could stop her.

Arthur and Gwen got Merlin up on the settee and waited for him to regain consciousness. When he did Gwen helped him sit up.

Merlin looked around the room. "She's gone! Why didn't one of you stop her?"

"She was gone before we could get to her." Gwen glanced back at Arthur. "Merlin, what did she mean when she said she had to pay for her mistake. What mistake?"

"It was another lifetime. She wasn't the woman we know now. She was evil and ruthless. I … I killed her." Merlin struggled to his feet. "I have to go after her."

Arthur got up from the arm of the settee and stood by his side. "I'm coming too."

"No. You can't come with me." Merlin staggered into the middle of the room and disappeared in a swirl of air just as Morgana had.

Merlin arrived at the sanctuary moments later and fell to his knees. "Morgana! Wait don't do this!"

"Merlin, you know that I am the best choice for this. The only choice. Arthur needs you. I won't be missed. I am just a woman." Morgana walked into the abyss. "I love you Merlin."

"No! No!" Merlin fell back on the floor as the veil closed. "Morgana, why did you do this? Why?"

Then it all went black.

"Morgana!" Merlin sat up in bed and looked down next to him. Morgana was there clutching the covers with a smile on her face. He looked at the clock and it said half past seven.

There was a knock on the door. Merlin got out of bed and opened it.

"Gwen." Merlin smiled. "What is it?"

"Arthur is waiting in the dining room for you two to come for supper. You and Morgana best hurry. You know how grumpy he gets when he's hungry." Gwen grinned and waved as she walked back down the hallway.

Merlin shut the door and walked over to the bed. He gently shook Morgana. "Morgana wake up. It's suppertime. Hurry up now. Arthur is waiting."

Morgana stretched. "Did you have a good nap?"

"No." Merlin shook his head. He leaned down and kissed her.

Morgana pulled him closer then looked at him when he pulled back. "I thought you said that Arthur was waiting."

"Morgana, I love you. Do you know that?" Merlin touched his forehead to hers. "I don't ever want to lose you."

Morgana laughed. "Merlin, I'm not going anywhere."

"Promise?" Merlin asked.

"I promise." Morgana kissed him. "Let me up. I have to get dressed."

"No. Arthur can wait just a little while longer." Merlin reached out and locked the door with magick as he kissed her again.


End file.
